Nattokinase-promoted tissue plasminogen activator release from human cells.

When heated to a temperature of 70 degrees C or higher, the strong fibrinolytic activity of nattokinase in a solution was deactivated. Similar results were observed in the case of using Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA and H-D-Val-Leu-Lys-pNA, which are synthetic substrates of nattokinase. In the current study, tests were conducted on the indirect fibrinolytic effects of the substances containing nattokinase that had been deactivated through heating at 121 degrees C for 15 min. Bacillus subtilis natto culture solutions made from three types of bacteria strain were heat-treated and deactivated, and it was found that these culture solutions had the ability to generate tissue plasminogen activators (tPA) from vascular endothelial cells and HeLa cells at certain concentration levels. For example, it was found that the addition of heat-treated culture solution of the Naruse strain (undiluted solution) raises the tPA activity of HeLa cells to about 20 times that of the control. Under the same conditions, tPA activity was raised to a level about 5 times higher for human vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC), and to a level about 24 times higher for nattokinase sold on the market. No change in cell count was observed for HeLa cells and HUVEC in the culture solution at these concentrations, and the level of activity was found to vary with concentration. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.